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Investing on the right stainless steel cookware

If you’re a foodie that loves experimenting in the kitchen or one of the millions of busy active people looking for ways to eat well without investing tons of kitchen prep time, the proper equipment is a must. Choosing the right tools makes food preparation and clean up easier and will drastically reduce time sweating it out in the kitchen…a great incentive to eat well and eat better! Through our commitment to helping you improve your diet and your life, we’ve narrowed down a selection of must-have kitchen tools and appliances that will get you on the fast track to good health in no time.

Stainless steel cookware sets

High Performance Pots & Pans Are A Must-Have Kitchen Essential

A high performance set of pots and pans that will handle a variety of chores is definitely a must-have kitchen essential. Although there are lots of variables to consider when choosing which cookware best suits your personal needs and preferences, materials should be a primary consideration. Pots and pans are commonly made from stainless steel, aluminum, copper or cast iron. Aluminum, copper and cast iron are all reactive to alkaline or acidic foods and can alter the taste of your culinary efforts. Stainless steel is nonreactive, substantial and durable and a far superior choice but used alone has poor heat transfer and distribution. Combining stainless steel with an inner core of copper or aluminum, both excellent heat conductors, provides the best of both worlds and is considered our best option if you’re planning on making the investment in a high performing set of pots and pans (and you should!). After reviewing and researching a plethora of pots and pans, our number one choice is the ALL-CLAD D5. (Source: Getting Healthy With Marie)

Stainless Steel Pan Advantages:

— does not react with foods e.g., tomatoes and wine
— makes excellent sauces after sautéing by dissolving products of caramelization and mallaird reaction

Food that sticks is caused by chemical bonds that form between the food and the material of the pan – almost always a metal. These bonds may be relatively weak van der Waals forces or covalent bonds. Protein-rich foods are particularly prone to sticking because the proteins can form complexes with metal atoms, such as iron, in the pan.

How to prevent sticking or why hot oil prevents sticking?

The oil, being liquid, fills in the valleys and caves of the pan surface. Although the pan may look smooth at a microscopic level the surface of even the smoothest metal pan looks rough with hills, valleys and even caves. Hot oil is less viscous than cold oil and will immediately flow filling the gaps.

When oil in the pan gets hot enough a steam effect begins to occur —

“A small amount of oil added to a very hot pan almost instantly becomes very hot oil. The oil quickly sears the outside of the food and causes water to be released from the food. This layer of water vapor (“steam”) lifts the food atop the oil film and keeps it from touching the hot pan surface. If the oil is not hot enough, the steam effect will not occur and the food will fuse to the (too) cool pan surface.” Source: Ask a Scientist, Newton BBC